Police see gun thefts as 20 opportunities for trouble
By CHRIS TISCH
Published March 25, 2004
CLEARWATER - Police are concerned that 20 handguns and rifles may be hitting the streets of Pinellas County after a gun shop was burglarized Wednesday morning.
A burglar broke into the Deer Hunter Gun Shop, 2797 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., just before 6 a.m. and smashed several glass cases before making off with 20 guns, which included two assault rifles. Most of the other weapons were handguns, police said.
"If nothing else, stolen guns are valid currency on the street," said Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor. "They can be exchanged for favors, drugs or anything else.
"We want to try to recover these before they are used in any violent felonies," he added.
Shelor said the gun shop has all the protective devices common to many gun shops, including bars on the windows, motion detectors and an alarm. The burglar broke the door lock to get inside.
"A burglary to a gun shop is a very unusual crime, if for no other reason the level of security that gun shops employ," he said. "This was a secure facility, but somebody wanted to get in."
Police received a call from an alarm company at 5:55 a.m. indicating the alarm at the gun shop had been tripped. Police arrived at the store just after 6 a.m., but the burglar was gone, Shelor said.
"It's clear they were in and out very quickly," he said.
People in the area did not get a good look at the thief. They could only say the burglar was short and wearing dark clothing. The thief left the store in a dark-colored Jeep, Blazer or sport utility vehicle.
Clearwater police alerted surrounding police agencies and pawn shops to be on the look-out for the guns.
"Our level of investigation and integration with other law enforcement agencies is elevated immediately. You're talking about 20 guns on the street," Shelor said.
Though there is no evidence of any link to terrorism, police also alerted homeland defense agencies of the theft. "Post 9/11, this is the way it works," Shelor said.
Anyone with information should call Clearwater police at 562-4080.
